Data-Based Decision Making in Special Education

This blog is sourced from our How to Drive Data-Based Decisions in Special Education webinar.

Thoughtful data collection transforms our ability to serve students. Every data point tells a story about a student’s journey, including their challenges, strengths, and potential. When educators collect and interpret data, you’re not just crunching numbers, you’re gathering insight. Data enables educators and administrators to make informed decisions on placement, services, and accommodations. It also helps document progress toward IEP goals, have evidence-based conversations with family members and service providers, and ensure compliance with legal requirements.

Are you looking to harness the power of data to make meaningful decisions that will positively impact your students’ educational experience? Follow these steps to learn how to build a data system that drives decision-making and develop a data driven culture.

How we use data

Data isn’t just paperwork, it’s the foundation of everything we do. In special education, we use data to:
  • Look past feelings and opinions to make objective decisions based on what’s really happening with a student.
  • Effectively track progress and growth, or lack thereof.
  • Determine where further support is needed and justify resource allocation.
  • Communicate important student information with stakeholders, including guardians, service providers, administrators, and more.
  • Stay in compliance with legal requirements for informed decision-making.
Data also helps inform key decision points, including:
  • Initial eligibility determination
  • IEP development and updates
  • Service delivery models
  • Intervention selection
  • Placement decision
  • Exit criteria

Data, Assessment, and Student Outcomes

Everything we do in education, especially special education, is driven by data. The cycle of instruction begins and ends with assessment and data collection. Data drives decision-making by identifying what students know, analyzing where a student may be struggling, and demonstrating the progress and effectiveness of interventions.

With TeachTown, teachers can monitor progress by collecting data for lesson progress, program use, mastery of learning objectives, and benchmark assessments. 

Building the Data System

To make data work for us in practice, we need the right tools. Data documentation tools are the means by which we collect and record information. They keep us accountable and make the process of collecting data easier and more effective. Some examples are:

  • Data collection templates – keep data collection consistent and efficient
  • Decision-making rubrics – help remove subjectivity from choices
  • Progress monitoring sheets – ensure the right metrics are being tracked in the right way.

TeachTown offers printable data sheets in addition to the platform’s built-in technology that tracks data on IEP goals, benchmarks, and any technology-based lessons. 


Data doesn’t have much value unless it’s being regularly reviewed and utilized. Having a regular data review schedule ensures that progress is constantly being monitored. A regular data review schedule should include:

  • Weekly team meetings – look at current data to make immediate adjustments to instruction and support
  • Monthly progress review – take a broader look at progress patterns
  • Quarterly reviews – give a big-picture view of how students are progressing toward their goals.

As crucial as data collection is, it can go wrong if not executed effectively. As you develop your data systems, be sure your team is avoiding these pitfalls:

  • Don’t collect data and never use it! Data isn’t helpful if it’s just sitting in a folder somewhere. Make it a point to actively use what you collect.
  • Avoid making major decisions based on a single data point. Instead, look for patterns and trends.
  • Don’t wait too long to make adjustments when the data shows something isn’t working.
  • Don’t try to do it all yourself! Involve all stakeholders, from teachers to parents to related service providers.
  • Use quality tools to avoid poor documentation. You need to be able to explain what you did and why or the data loses its value.

Data Sources that Drive Decisions

There are many different types of data we gather in special education. Like putting together pieces of a puzzle, each type of data gives us a unique and valuable perspective on student performance.

We start with our formal assessment data, such as standardized testing and curriculum-based measures. These give us those crucial normative comparisons and help us track progress against grade-level expectations. Diagnostic assessments dig deeper, helping us pinpoint specific skill gaps and areas where students need additional support. Classroom performance data shows us how students are actually applying skills in real learning situations.

Progress monitoring is really the heart of our data collection system. We’re constantly tracking IEP goal progress, seeing how students respond to interventions, and collecting behavioral data when needed. This ongoing monitoring lets us make timely adjustments to ensure our interventions are working.

But numbers only tell part of the story, and that’s where stakeholder input becomes invaluable. Teacher observations give us insights into daily classroom functioning. Parent feedback helps us understand how skills transfer to home. Service providers offer specialized perspectives on student progress. Together, these qualitative observations help us interpret our quantitative data and make better informed decisions.

Decision Making Framework

Making data-based decisions starts with clearly identifying the decision point. Ask yourself: What specific question are we trying to answer? And who needs to be at the table for this decision?

Next, focus on gathering relevant data. It’s important to approach this strategically, focusing on specific data that will help you answer the questions you are asking. It is also crucial that the data collected is current and complete enough to make an informed decision. Sometimes, additional data points are needed before moving forward.

Then, analyze patterns and trends, looking for clear evidence of progress or lack thereof. When analyzing data, look for consistent patterns across different settings. Remember, you never want to make decisions based on a single data point; you’re looking for trends that tell a clear story.

Finally, implementation and monitoring close the loop. Document exactly what decision was made and why, and set a clear timeline for reviewing the effectiveness of the decision made. Most importantly, define what success looks like by identifying what specific metrics will tell you if your decision was the right one.

Creating a Data Driven Culture

Creating a data-driven culture isn’t about overwhelming people with spreadsheets; it’s about creating systems that make data collection meaningful and manageable. To begin establishing data systems, start with these steps:

  1. Invest in proper training. Staff need to feel confident in how to collect data accurately and consistently.
  2. Set clear expectations about what data needs to be collected and why. When people understand the ‘why,’ they’re more likely to prioritize the ‘how.’
  3. Provide the necessary tools. We can’t expect quality data collection with inadequate resources.
  4. Celebrate data-driven successes! When data helps us make a great decision that benefits a student, that’s worth highlighting.
  5. Collaborate as a team regularly to ensure everyone stays aligned and motivated.
Once your data system has been running for some time, be sure to:
  1. Audit current data practices to determine what’s working and what isn’t.
  2. Identify any gaps in data collection.
  3. Create or update the data review schedule to ensure you’re reviewing data when it matters most.
  4. Continue training and ongoing support as you implement new tools and systems.

Let TeachTown guide your data driven decisions

With TeachTown’s adapted core curriculum, enCORE, reporting is available at the district, school/campus, classroom, and individual student level. Data from teacher-led technology lessons and independent student-led lessons is combined, providing an ongoing and accurate picture of student performance and progress.

enCORE supports reporting student performance by domain and skill, IEP goals, and state standards. Talk with a member of our team to learn more! 


Allison Fangman is a Customer Enablement Specialist at TeachTown who brings over a decade of special education expertise to her role, having worked as both a specialized classroom teacher for students with moderate to severe disabilities and as a district special education consultant. With dual certifications in learning/behavioral disorders and moderate to severe disabilities, a Bachelor’s Degree from Wagner College, and both a Master’s and Rank 1 from Georgetown College, she combines academic credentials with practical experience to passionately advocate for empowering diverse learners through inclusive curriculum and technology access.

Tasha McKinney brings over eight years of experience in education. After four years of teaching outdoor education programs, she pursued a Master’s in Early Childhood Special Education at the University of Texas. Since then, she has worked in classroom settings and created content for EdTech companies.

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